November is American Diabetes Awareness Month, and diabetes is known to cause many eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy. AMSURG partner Leslie Doctor, M.D.,Wilton Surgery Center, shared some ways to help prevent vision loss from diabetic eye problems by complying with recommended guidelines for having a dilated eye exam each year as well as making healthy lifestyle choices.

“Data from the Centers for Disease Control and the Prevent Blindness America report indicate that some 26 million people in the United States suffer from diabetes of which almost 8 million people ages 40 and older have diabetic retinopathy. This represents an 89 percent increase in incidence between the years 2000-2012 and even more importantly, diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new cases of blindness in adults 20-74 years of age,” Doctor said.